The World’s Largest Gathering of the Folk Music Industry and Community
Upcoming Conference
The next Folk Alliance International Conference is February 21-25, 2024, at the Westin Crown Center Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Registration will open June 1st.
Future Conferences
The dates for our future conferences will be updated soon.
View our past conferences here.
What happens at the conference?
Check out our program book from the 2023 conference to see what programs and events typically take place during our annual gathering!
Official and Private Showcases
During the conference, there are two types of showcases: Official and Private. Showcases are a way for artists to show off their talents to festival and venue bookers, agents, record labels, DJs, media, and more. While Official Showcases are exclusive to jury-selected musicians, anyone can perform a Private Showcase. Many artists book multiple Private Showcase slots, and we recommend all artists take advantage of the opportunity to perform in Private Showcases.
Official Showcases feature jury-selected, tour-ready musicians representing diverse cultures, languages, and sound. These 30-minute sets are performed on full production stages at the conference.
Official Showcase applications will open June 1st, 2023.
Private Showcases turn hotel rooms into listening rooms. These performances are more intimate, often without any amplification, and offer a unique opportunity for the artists.
Daytime Panels
At the conference, there are many panel sessions on relevant industry topics, featuring experts like agents, labels, festival presenters, artists, and more.
Some past panel topics include “The Recording Academy: What Can It Do For You?”, “Cultural Awareness, Addressing Racism and Being a Person in Process”, “Women in Music: A Continued Call for Change”, “Do I Need A Visa for This Gig?”, and many more.
Networking and Peer Gatherings
We offer various networking and mentoring opportunities, including Peer Sessions for agents, labels, festivals, and artists, speed meetings, artist mentorship meetings, and even Affinity Group sessions for communities like BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, Women, Folks 55+ Folks with Disabilities, and more.